Black Association of New Orleans Fire Fighters (B.A.N.O.F.F.)

The Black Association of New Orleans Fire Fighters was formed with the following ideals: As African-American Fire Service employees, being acutely aware of the increasing complexity of our problems and those of our community, we, the members feel compelled to unite into a proactive organization. The focus of this organization includes studying and solving the major problems affecting our community and the Fire Department. Alternative means of accomplishing our goals include offering guidance, providing educational opportunities and cultivating and maintaining a professional competence. We further propose to establish unity and fellowship with the community; thus, improving the social status of our people and consequently increasing professional efficiency within the department. Additionally, we will serve as a vanguard to ensure fairness and justice to all qualified applicants, thereby increasing career opportunity for all members of the community. We will encourage and monitor the hiring and promoting of qualified minorities within the fire service until all ranks are reflective of the diverse culture / racial composition of the qualified employable pool of Orleans Parish residents. With this, we form ourselves into an organization.